Gilles de Rais

@Serial Killer of Children, Career and Family ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Gilles de Retz or Gilles de Rais was a lord and knight of Anjou, Poitou and Brittany who later became infamous as a serial killer of children Execution French Criminals Serial Killers Virgo Celebrities Gilles de Retz or Gilles de Rais, a member of the ‘House of Montmorency-Laval’, was a lord and knight of Anjou, Poitou and Brittany who later became infamous as a serial killer of children. He was a commander in the Royal Army and fought wars of Brittany and Anjou thereafter becoming a companion-in-arms of Joan of Arc. He fought many battles as Marshal of France along with her during the ‘Hundred Years’ War’ including that in Orleans. He was present with her in Reims during consecration of Charles VII and remained her special guard till the time Paris was attacked and she was captured. Thereafter, he retired to Brittany. He led an extravagant life with a lavish court encompassing a chain of priests, heralds and servants with the fortune he received from his father and maternal grandfather. His wealth increased extensively following his marriage with Catherine de Thouars, a rich heiress. His lavish lifestyle that included staging his self-composed theatrical soon depleted his wealth, forcing his family to secure a decree from the King to restrain Gilles de Retz from further selling and mortgaging his properties. He resorted to alchemy and Satanism in the hope of increasing wealth. Later he was accused of murdering hundreds of children which led to an ecclesiastical investigation. The parents of missing children testified against him in the trial following which he was given a death sentence and was hanged at Nantes.

Personal Details

Birthday: September 4, 1404 Died on: October 26, 1440 Nationality: French Famous: Serial Killer of Children, Criminals, Serial Killers Spouses: Catherine de Thouars of Brittany (1420–1440) Known as: Gilles de Montmorency-Laval Childrens: Marie (1429-1457) Information Detail Birthday September 4, 1404 Died on October 26, 1440 Nationality French Famous Serial Killer of Children, Criminals, Serial Killers Spouses Catherine de Thouars of Brittany (1420–1440) Known as Gilles de Montmorency-Laval Childrens Marie (1429-1457) Cause of death Execution Birth Place Champtocé-sur-Loire, Anjou Gender Male Father Guy II de Montmorency-Laval Mother Marie de Craon Sun Sign Virgo Born in Champtocé-sur-Loire, Anjou Famous as Serial Killer of Children Died at Age 36

Champtocé-sur-Loire, Anjou

Gilles de Rais born at Unsplash Birth Place

Gilles de Retz married Catherine de Thouars, a rich heiress of La Vendée and Poitou, on November 30, 1420. The marriage was arranged by his maternal grandfather Jean de Craon. Unsplash Personal Life

In 1429, the couple welcomed their only daughter Marie. Unsplash Personal Life

He was born in the family of Guy II de Montmorency-Laval and Marie de Craon probably in September 1405 in their family castle at Champtocé-sur-Loire. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

His father died when he was nine years of age after which his mother left him and his brother René de La Suze to remarry. She died two years later. The two children were brought up by their maternal grandfather Jean de Craon. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

As a child Gilles was intelligent, had a knack for music and spoke Latin fluently. He became heir of the entire fortune of his maternal grandfather after the death of his maternal uncle in 1415. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

His scheming maternal grandfather tried to get him married first with Jeanne Paynel, a rich heiress in Normandy and then with the niece of the Duke of Brittany’, Béatrice de Rohan but failed on both attempts. Finally Craon was successful in getting Gilles married to Catherine de Thouars, a rich heiress of La Vendée and Poitou. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

In 1420, Gilles de Retz made a mark as a brave soldier when he was just 16 by fighting for the ‘House of Montfort’ and securing release of Duke John VI in the succession wars for the duchy of Brittany. He received land grants, later converted to lump sum money for his service. Unsplash Career

After being brought in the court of Charles VII at Saumur in 1425, he studied Dauphin to master court mannerisms. Unsplash Career

In 1427, he fought the English on behalf of the Duchess of Anjou. In the same year while on his way to Orleans to join Joan of Arc, he besieged the ‘Château of Lude’, a fortress which was occupied by English for several years. He took English captain Blackburn as prisoner. Unsplash Career

Between 1427 and 1435, Gilles de Retz remained a commander in the Royal Army and successfully established himself as a brave heart of the war front during the ‘Hundred Years’ War’. Unsplash Career

He accompanied Joan of arc in Reims during consecration of Charles VII. He was selected as one of the four lords on July 17, 1429 who will have the honour to go to ‘Abbey of Saint-Remy’ to bring the ‘Holy Ampulla’ to ‘Notre-Dame de Reims’. He was also made the Marshal of France on that day. Unsplash Career

He has remained a subject of numerous books, graphic novels, films, television programs and has been referred to in various rock band music albums. Unsplash Trivia

Information	Detail
Birthday	September 4, 1404
Died on	October 26, 1440
Nationality	French
Famous	Serial Killer of Children, Criminals, Serial Killers
Spouses	Catherine de Thouars of Brittany (1420–1440)
Known as	Gilles de Montmorency-Laval
Childrens	Marie (1429-1457)
Cause of death	Execution
Birth Place	Champtocé-sur-Loire, Anjou
Gender	Male
Father	Guy II de Montmorency-Laval
Mother	Marie de Craon
Sun Sign	Virgo
Born in	Champtocé-sur-Loire, Anjou
Famous as	Serial Killer of Children
Died at Age	36

Gilles de Rais

French

Sep 4, 1404

Biography

Personal Details

Champtocé-sur-Loire, Anjou